Zig talks to us about the number one way to make your goals actually happen. It’s not an action, it’s a…being. Which is good and bad news, depending on…you. We like step-by-step things to do, because doing seems easy. To “be” different feels harder, but then it’s the thing we absolutely have the most control over.
Hi, everyone, this is Kevin, and this is Ziglar’s True Performance Show, episode 410. In this show, Zig talks to us about the number one way to make your goals actually happen. It’s not an action, it’s a…being. Which is good and bad news, depending on…you. We like step-by-step things to do, because doing seems easy. To “be” different feels harder, but then, it’s the thing we absolutely have the most control over.
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OK, we’re just going to dive in today. Here is Zig…enjoy:
So, the big answer to…
How do you reach your goals, once set?
#1 Character
Well, that’s not just something you can easily do. Let’s discuss it after I again thank Audible for supporting this show
With Audible, where you can gain access to over 250,000 audio books and spoken-word audio products with a free 30-day trial and free audiobook at www.audible.com/ziglar. My personal testimony…I wanted time in my Bible in the morning, and workout time. So…I combined them. I work out while listening to an audio Bible. For a while I listened to “The Bible Experience” which is dramatized. But sometimes I’m not into the…drama. So then I got the Voice Only Audio Bible. But, being able to just go snag them from Audible and have them play flawlessly is worth its weight in gold. I stream my music, my videos…and now my books. It’s super affordable, unbeatable. I really like the easy app on my phone that I can also utilize on my laptop, and…even download into iTunes. Again, you can check it out now with a free 30-day trial and free audiobook at www.audible.com/ziglar. That’s www.audible.com/ziglar.
Zig cites the quote, “Ability without honor has no value.”
Well, that’s an answer that just gives you pause, doesn’t it? I have a hard time just easily continuing from there. The number one way to reach your goals is to have…great character.
Huh. Time to sit back, look into the horizon, and question…ourselves. Do I have good character? Am I moral? Honest? Honorable? Which ultimately means…can I be trusted? Do I trust myself and can others trust and rely on me? Not that I’ll come through on my appointed rounds and roles, but that I will be there for them, with their best interests in mind, ahead of mine? Selfless?
That’s a big question. But Zig cites it as the number one way to achieve our goals.
Honesty and integrity.
I’ve read before that “Integrity is who you are and what you do when nobody is watching.”
What’s significant is that what we do alone is…training. My actions come from my self-image. If I have inner shame because of what I do that lacks honesty and integrity and moral character, then I can’t perform contrary to that. That means what I do in private is helping or hurting my life outcomes and realities in massive ways. That…is convicting.
Which is why Zig says, “The most important opinion you can have is the opinion you have of yourself.” We are all a self-fulfilled prophecy. I can’t BE beyond what I believe about myself.
We are not in a culture that promotes self-confidence. Not arrogance, but self-confidence and a healthy self-image. We are a culture obsessed with dissatisfaction about our self-image. Sitcoms, shows, and movies are so often about slackers and human ridiculousness and depravity…not honor and dignity.
So it’s up to us to answer to a higher calling. To stand out. To take the higher path.
Zig asks if values really matter so much in business. Folks, if you’ll reference show #402 with Dina Dwyer Owens, you’ll get first-hand testimony to the tune of two billion dollars that it absolutely does! It’s the right thing to do, AND the most profitable!
He cites a survey where companies with a written values statement earned 23% more than those without. Of course, we can extrapolate that to individuals as well. So, there is an exercise for us all. What ARE our values? And to make it clearer, make it…”What do I stand for?” Don’t make your values big and vague, like “God, country and family.” Family isn’t a value. Loving family, inspiring them, showing them a legacy of character and care…is a value.
Zig goes on to say, “You can have everything money will buy, without a lick of character.” Nobody listening to this show wants that. It’s no different than asking, would you rather win $10 million in the lottery, or make $10 million with a successful business venture? Anyone with a soul will take the business venture, because earning has so much more value for life than a handout!
Then Zig says, “But you can’t get anything money won’t buy, with no character.” Which is what we see with celebrities and athletes who make millions and end up broke, divorced, depressed or committing suicide.
In reality, very few people have any level of true success without character, without some strength and foundation you can trust.
“Honor among thieves” - the classic proverb holds that, "There is honor among thieves.” The meaning is the concept of "professional courtesy," that even the disreputable and unethical do - particularly among themselves - adheres to various sorts of moral codes of conduct.
Success requires an internal fortitude that’s just nearly undeniable. Think of the movie character who is not a hero. He’s out for himself. But circumstances put him in a place where he, even to his own chagrin, saves the child or saves the cat or helps someone.
Where success is, character may lead, or it’s not far behind.
Zig asks…
Why don’t people follow through? A Stanford study said 95% of the people who hear, understand, and agree with a principle, do not have the ability to apply it to their lives because they do not have the necessary resources.
Folks, this is the personal development industry. From weight loss to Internet business to muscle building to getting a book published. Now, the industry is not doing anything wrong. They are continually, prolifically pumping out good, relevant, valuable info. And they make millions because we buy it in droves…but seldom change. We buy the next resource and the next resource. Why do we do this when we don’t make change?
It gives us hope, which is good.
It excites us, which is good.
It makes us feel good about ourselves, which is…concerning.
People feel good about themselves for eating fat-free food, but the truth is…fat-free food is making us fatter. Why? We eat more because we think we can afford it.
So what are the necessary resources to make you one of the only 5% who hear, understand and agree with a principle, and DO have the ability to apply it?
Back to Zig’s starting point. Character. Honesty. Integrity.
How do you have these? It happens brick by brick with every decision you make and action you take. We all have the ability to be honest and make moral decisions.
To cheat on our taxes or not.
To give back the extra change when somebody we bought from doesn’t do math well.
To give the $100 bill to the hotel desk when we find it, instead of pocketing it.
To give to others because they are humans and we are here to serve, instead of doing things for what we’ll get back.
Last, Zig discusses how you achieve the big goals, in small…incremental steps. Which brings us back, as always, folks…to our day-to-day, hour-by-hour habits.
You want to know where you are going in life? It’s easy. Just see where your feet take you. You steer your life with every little decision and action.
Me, too. Pretty daunting, as it’s all on us.
It’s not on our past, our circumstances, our lot in life, our bad luck. Someone, somewhere, is doing more than we are…with less. Who has had it harder.
But how freeing. No excuses. We can make the next, radical, great decision.
So here I am, with you, facing the next hour of life. The next decision. To have good character, or not. I know you’ll chose to have great character. Thanks for being here. Talk with you soon.